A strong muscular lining of the belly surrounds the abdominal cavity. Weak areas, due to many reasons, might appear in this lining, which promotes sac-like outgrowths to protrude out of the abdominal cavity into the belly muscles (fascia). This outgrowth is called hernia. Hernia can have many possible positions of outbreak. Symptoms and treatment options change as per the position of the hernia. In the key symptoms of hernia, pain is not just inside the body but shows on the outer skin as well.
Many types of hernia have been classified based on the position where it appears. These include:
- Femoral hernia,
- Umbilical hernia,
- Incisional hernia
- Inguinal hernia
- Hiatal hernia
Inguinal hernia is the most common type and it mostly affects men as compared to women. Here, the extra tissue protrudes out from the intestine or bladder and penetrates into the inguinal canal in the groin area.
What Causes Hernia?
A combination of two factors promotes or triggers the onset of hernia. They are:
- Presence of weak area in the muscular lining of the belly
- Activities posing constant pressure on the belly muscles like prolonged constipation, lifting heavy objects, constant allergic coughing, and sneezing.
Sometimes hernia might be hereditary and can be present in children from birth. As the body size increases, the size of the hernia also increases and it is only later that hernia gets noticed due to the unbearable pain it causes in the area.
Symptoms of Hernia
Pain is the foremost symptom noticed. Other symptoms of hernia include:
- Discomfort/pain in specific positions like when standing or lifting objects or coughing and sneezing. Less to severe pain is a symptom that indicates the onset of hernia. In early stages, physicians can judge the presence of hernia by mere physical examination.
- The pain might be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. This usually happens when pain exceeds tolerable limits. Such symptoms call for emergency surgery.
- The most obvious symptom of hernia is that the affected area shows to have a bump. This bump grows quickly in size and is sore to touch and feel.
- Slight redness around the area is another evident symptom. With time, the area becomes dark red or purple.
Possible Treatment Options
- Surgery is the safest and most reliable treatment for hernia of any kind. When inguinal hernia is removed via surgery, a hole gets created in that area like the abdominal cavity. This hole has to be secured and filled during the surgery itself.
- In case of inguinal hernia, the part of the intestine that pushes out through weak muscular lining of the belly may even become dead, if it gets stuck in the weakened cavity or hole as it loses all blood supply here. Quick surgery is the only treatment for relief.
- Laparoscopic surgeries to remove hernia are other treatment options. This is a minor surgery requiring less postsurgery recovery time.
- In simple cases, your physician may press your hernia back in position. As a part of treatment, you may be asked to wear a special belt to keep it in place until surgery.
- Over-the-counter medicines are also available for hernia treatment.
Timely treatment can prevent complications, which include blockage or hampering function of other surrounding organs like the testicles which might get affected in case of overgrown inguinal hernia, if proper treatment is not offered timely.
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